Great beach but a crammed little campground with no privacy. We stopped in for one night on our way to Santa Barbara, and it was a perfect little pitstop. The beach was beautiful and overall the experience was good but we were right next to the host and we felt like sardines , way too close to multiple neighbors . Our neighbors tent was probably 7 or 8 feet from our campfire ring ......Luckily everyone was friendly but not having any space or privacy is a pretty big deal, definitely not the kind of place I would stay for two or three nights, just one and done but a great pitstop to get you to Santa Barbara. read more

See all

Waited in line just to check out this beach while we were nearby, but a park employee approached us when she saw a doggie in our truck. No dogs allowed on the beach. So, we continued to wait for the line, then we were able to turn around and leave after we got to the pay booth. read more

We've been trying to camp at Refugio for some time but our reservation had been cancelled due to weather damage. Well we finally made it! My group of about 20 people stayed at Bouchard group site. It is perfectly situated on the south side of the campground with stunning views of the ocean! The group site has its own public restroom and showers which was a great amenity! The grounds are in decent shape but watch out for holes! (Gophers?) there is also beach access from the site and water spigots (unthreaded) so you cannot connect a water hose to it. Everything about our stay was perfect and the ranger and groundskeepers made regular visits and to stock the restrooms. I cannot wait for our next visit! read more

Refugio State Beach - Parks Near Me - Goleta, California

See all

This is a beautiful state beach campground located by the ocean. Depending on the campground's location, you will either hear the beach waves or the rushing sound of the cars overpassing the bridge. The location of our campground was the only downside of our experience, as we constantly heard cars passing Highway 101. I'm not sure which is worse, the sound of waves continually crashing or the wheezing noise of vehicles traveling fast. Our campground allowed up to two vehicles to be parked. Additional vehicle parking was an additional $10. State parks are usually well maintained, especially the bathrooms. My favorite moment at Refugio State Beach was the sunset. I took amazing photographs during this time. Reservations to the campground can be made by accessing www.reservecalifornia.com. read more

Refugio State Beach - Sunset - Parks Near Me - Goleta, California

See all

Noise pollution is a huge problem there's a train not even 100 feet from the campgrounds and it is loud and annoying besides that it's fine besides the fact you can't have dogs at the beach also someone else had to waffle stomp inside one of the showers read more

Nothing, we love it there. It's just hard to get a reservation. We don't need more people reserving spaces, it makes it harder for us to get one. read more

$10 for day use parking. Refugio State Beach is also a campground. There are lots of kids roaming and biking in cohorts. People fishing on the beach. Surfers and boogie boards. It's busy, but everyone was having a nice time. Bathrooms were wet and dirty. Parking was plentiful. Like any SB beach, there's a lingering smell of tar. read more

I will forever love state beaches cause there are no dogs allowed on the sand. Sorry not sorry. Nothing worse than sitting down and being barked at for just existing because people don't train their dogs or dodging poop cause people can't clean up. People are gross as it is, don't need to be dealing with their pet negligence either. Sucks for the actual responsible people, that's for sure though. read more

Our family has been camping for 15 years and absolutely love it! This is a beautiful space with wonderful people and adventures.

This saddens me to my core that I have to put two starts The place is completely and utterly run down The squirrels, the rats in the crows overrun this place . The beach is disgusting filthy so much debris . The bathrooms have not been cleaned in four days that I have been there. Literally four days there has been a bar soap sitting on the bench. That tells me they have not cleaned this disgusting bathroom. The only positive that I find from this pit is Jerry. The Camphost is so nice and his dog is so cute. . And you get the ocean But be careful on the ocean as if you're sitting there the squirrels and other animals will come up. It's literally steal your food. It's so uncomfortable. It smells horrible from not being cleaned . This was always my childhood spot to go to with my parents. I tried to go back and have that experience but it's ruined. I will never go back to Refugio State Beach.. read more

The beach is small but it's fun, I wish I could have taken my dog on the beach but they don't allow it. Probably because of rocky and high tides. Or I'm not sure what's the problem. Anyways fun beach to sit down and swim, unfortunately I never had the chance too. But very amazing beach. Did probably see some animals in the ocean! Would have been here longer if we could stay. read more

Refugio State Beach - Beach from the far point near the cliff! Facing towards the camp grounds. - Parks Near Me - Goleta, California

Friendly host and maintenance volunteers helped to make our first camping trip a huge success! We enjoyed clean campgrounds, a convenience store with ice and charcoal, clean restrooms and showers on site (bring quarters), and access to a beautiful section of beach! Wildlife was plentiful too! From squirrels, to dolphins, stingray, crabs, mussels, jellyfish, loons, pelicans, and ducks! Great place to camp, but beware of the loud train that passes by a few times a day...we brought earplugs for a restful sleep and we're pretty glad we did that! read more

See all

So conflicted with this rating. Why? Camping this close to the beach is a 5* experience. Camping so close to your neighbors is a 1* experience. This campground is more like a glorified tailgate party. The sites all have their own picnic tables, fire rings and parking for at least 2 cars but the lines between the sites are loosely based on whoever got there first and MAYBE a tree or sparse foliage... big maybe. My family was camping in El Capitan for Memorial Day weekend where we had 6 people and 3 tents pitched in 1 site very comfortably. My boyfriend and I wanted to stay an extra night so I was SO happy we found a cancellation for Refugio! That is, until we got there and saw the sandwiched sites. Let me level with you. Pros: - 100 yards from the water (no stairs - literally at sea level) - can hear the waves 24/7 - gorgeous stars at night - nice new showers / bathrooms - dog friendly campground - campfires allowed - general store + basketball court nearby - so affordable for this experience on the sand - lifeguard on duty Cons - VERY windy. Definitely check for wind advisory. This didn't deter us but it makes for a very noisy tent sleeping experience. - some highway noise. Not much because you're down and away but sometimes we could hear it. - felt like camping in a parking lot - no dogs allowed on the beach - not much room for multiple tents to house 6+ people. I'm so conflicted on if we would do it again. It's great to get this close to the water and we love camping but it just felt more "encampment" than camping. If I could get an end spot that was more spacious or get several sites together for a group feel, I would do it again... otherwise it just isn't as magical when you're right on top of each other. read more

See all

Campsite #9 Pros: -Easy access points to all necessary needs- water, bathroom, trash, etc. -Small campground so matter what campground you choose it's an easy access to the beach. -Short, easy kid friendly hike with a beautiful view. -Secluded area with plenty of space and less crowd. -Basketball court, swings and picnic area with benches with tables available. -Camp mart available for wood and ice. Cons: -Sand fleas on the beach- pack insect repellent, calamine lotion or hydrocortisone. -Certain showers don't have warm water. Not cool when ur having to deal with cold weather already. -Bathroom are not well maintained but then again it's camping! -It's off the101 freeway which means you will hear the cars going by. -The Metro also runs through which means you will hear the squeak of the tracks. Tips: -Showers take quarters only (.25 for 2 minutes) -There's lots and lots of rocks especially on the beach so bring the right footwear. - It's camping, it's part of nature.... There are squirrels, gophers, spiders, ants, etc.- so cover your food, throw your trash daily or when your campsite is not attended, bring Raid, etc. read more

have not gone in years and so glad it's being reopened, many memories there! We camped there with our kids when they were young, then moved out of state, happy to be able to visit again. read more

Love going camping :-) It's just nice to get away from Netflix and enjoy nature. It's the only time I ever really see the sunrise. The campsites are small and right next to each other, but the beach views are amazing! We walked over to a day use picnic table to see the sunset one night. So nice with our cheese, salami, crackers and of course wine! The next day headed to Solvang for some cheese stuffed pretzals. During the day was so nice having the warm sun on us but at night it was freezing!!! Make sure you bring enough wood because they havent been able to have wood delivered to buy from camp host. The store located within the campsite has been closed too. read more

See all

Nice State Beach with lifeguard, store and public restrooms. Note there is a $10 fee from parks and recreation to enter. I'm sure it varies if you plan to camp here. The beach is nice and sandy and you can walk up and down the beach for at least a mile. We enjoyed walking back and forth in the water break for over an hour enjoying he cool water and sand between our toes. Worth a stop if you're driving by on the 101 Highway or longer visit if you plan to swim. read more

See all

Loved this location. Preferred these sites and beach over Carpinteria State Beach, but Carpinteria has a town close by to explore. The sites are large; plenty of room. Showers had HOT warm; 25 cents for 2-minutes. Clean facilities. The sound of the ocean is amazing at night. Check out the Circle Bar B ranch; 3.5 miles up the road. Great for horseback riding with the family. We took our 7-year old their for the 1 1/2 hour ride. Such a beautiful experience in nature. Carpinteria has an amazing coast to explore. Come and have fun!!! read more

See all

I come for Mary! My friend and I visit here twice a year at least. It can get crowded and noisy but I always enjoy a friendly conversation with Mary. This visit we had to endure heavy rain but on the plus side, we were the only ones here, at the entire campground. Unfortunately as we prepare to leaveC the sun is shining and it's a beautiful day. Such as life. Beware, there are 2 women at the front kiosk who are terrible. How many times do you have to say hello to someone before they say hello in return? Apparently you have to say it more than once, and really loud. Not friendly at all. I didn't catch their names but I will know who they are the next time I come. If you are unhappy with your job, find a new one! read more

Refugio State Beach - There's Mary! - Parks Near Me - Goleta, California

See all

How to stick it to the man #1. Refugio State Beach. Of all my world travels no hotel can rival the view of this beachfront campground in the world. Now I've paid extra for the "Ocean view" room in my life and maybe you have as well. I have never found anywhere else in the world to sleep as close to saltwater as here. Rates $25 to $35 for tents and RV's and reservations are hard to come by so book early or do as I do . Ride your bike! Refugio has a hike and bike site available for touring cyclists. It is probably the best sleeps on the planet and at my last tour date was a mere $5. *Spend the money that you would have spent at the Holiday Inn on a sturdy touring bicycle with panniers and make the pilgrimage here from the north. Make all of your life decisions on the coastal route. Quit your job, make the boyfriend an ex or do whatever else you've been meaning to do with the fervor found in finding your soul. Refugio makes a great stopover point from the bay area to southern CA. I've added a day to a coastal journey to sleep here an extra night. The park has trees to climb for the little ones, restrooms and showers for the dirty ones, Barbecue grills and tables for the cooking ones and heart-stopping beach sleeping for the ones with hearts to stir, souls to find and spirits that need resurrecting. Namaste read more

The beach Scenery is exquisite and the campers are very friendly. The only down fall was the patrolling park like ranger ("Karen") very impartial to minorities and ADA parking vehicles! read more

It was a dark and stormy day... no really, it was one of those days that if you want to pretend you're Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz and you're about to sail away into the wind, this would be the perfect excuse to come to the beach. We stopped by on a whim - $10 to enter, even though we only really wanted to do a drive by because the weather was so horrific. But okay, we'll support the park system. Between 3 of us, that came out to basically $3.33 a person - come on, now. Aaaand, that's about 3 minutes is just about how much time we spent there. Roads were flooded and water was really high, so no beach to speak of, just giant cool looking rocks to twist your ankle on. Worth some great photo ops though! read more

Refugio State Beach - Parks Near Me - Goleta, California

This state governed park has small campsites with not much privacy, but so what . . . you will be surfing and enjoying the beach away from your campsite the majority of the day anyway. There are plenty of bathrooms and hot showers for any amount of people, including campers to use providing you bring a couple rolls of quarters with you before going to this or any state park operated campground. Refugio State Park is currently undergoing some major improvements. The Beach Store is currently being rennovated and apparently a new building or something else will be standing in the same area soon. Previously, Refugio State Park endured some flooding as well as El Capitan State Park which are the many reasons behind all the major improvements and building construction development occurring. These two state parks, Refugio and El Capitan are a few miles from each other, so often people get these two state parks confused. SF Yelp Office: Please correct error for El Capitan's State Park's address! read more

Refugio State Beach - Rufugio State Park Kiosk Entrance - Parks Near Me - Goleta, California

See all

This is the first time we camped on the beach, we usually camp in the woods (such as Big Sur and Yosemite National Park). The camp is very well maintained, bathrooms are fairly clean, and campsite is quite spacious although it's next to each other and mostly rectangular, there's basically no privacy, but we didn't mind it as we had polite & quiet "neighbors" to each side (our site is no.4). The beach is clean and beautiful, and it's calm enough for people to paddleboard. Our son had a great time paddleboarding for hours. The only thing that bothers me was the sound of Amtrak trains pass by as it is next to the campground (they would pass in the middle of the night and woke me up). Also the highway (I-101). That's why I gave 4 stars instead of 5. We camped at the end of the summer so the beach store open only on weekends. As we camped over the weekend and through weekdays, we had to go to the next closest market when we need something, at the market in the El Capitan Canyon campground (about 2 miles south from this campsite). All in all we enjoyed our stay here and would like to come back for sure. read more

See all

This state park is of close proximity to the water, whicH is great for skins diving. There was plenty of room in our campsite to park a 35ft rig; definitely coming back. read more

Refugio State Beach - At the Campground Refugio State Beach - Parks Near Me - Goleta, California

Had a great time stopping here on my way back from Lompoc road trip Great place to get out and stretch my legs Nice scenery Good photo opportunities Classic California coast line Definitely recommend read more

If you happened to need help, the employees at this State Park may seem nice after you pay at the check in but if you decide to drive straight up to their police station up the hill they will take pictures of you if you're not Caucasian. There's this short Caucasian looking Mexican lady named Alison that will call the cops on you. She called the cops on me 'secretly' a bunch of times and even tried to pretend to talk to me and ask me for my car info and year it's made and ask me where I live exactly like I don't know english when I was just there because they needed help (she was the one that asked for the help) and of course to not deal with her directly but the issue that was called for. I even tried to ask her where she lived after she asked me for my exact house location to see if she thinks it's weird to ask such a question and she didn't want to tell me but she said she lived in Buellton and that it's crime filled there...... and talking about nonsense and wasting my time. You're best off just talking to the cops only even though they took notes of my license plate like I'm some criminal or asking for the cops or making sure you're on the phone with 911 while walking up there if you need help and not that lady or the employees at the state park once you're up the hill. read more

Honestly, I was hoping that, for a state park beach, this would be a quiet location. I didn't think that many people would opt to pay $10 considering the proliferation of free beaches in Santa Barbara County. However, it was crowded and noisy. Facilities were not as clean as I would have hoped. There are secluded spots and some great tidepooling that's a bit of a walk west from the main area, but for me, that's not worth going through the crowds. Too many screaming kids with not enough parental supervision, too many rowdy people. Beyond that, the beach itself was just too crowded for my tastes. Although I did not camp there, I did drive around the camping areas, and they didn't seem that great. I've done a bit of coastal camping in various sites on the Oregon coast and also in Point Reyes Seashore, and Refugio is cramped compared to those place. It doesn't look like the camping spaces have been kept up very well. Compared to other beaches in the area like Jalama, I honestly wouldn't recommend Refugio because there are just too many people here in too small a space. I still need to check out El Capitan and Gaviota as well. read more

For a state campground, this is a pretty nice place. The bathrooms and showers were clean for the most part, and the dumpsters were emptied often enough that they weren't ever overflowing for very long. Pulled in with no reservation on a Wednesday in June, and ended up with a few nights in the best campsite in the place. Seriously, site #60 is the place to be. read more

Refugio State Beach - View of the beach from our campsite - Parks Near Me - Goleta, California

See all

I went here for the first time for 4th of July to visit my friend and her family's campsite. They come hear after year for the holiday so I think that's telling of how great this place is. The campground is right next to the beach. This was my favorite beach I've visited in the Santa Barbara area. There's bathrooms, showers, a general store, and basketball courts. The bathrooms are kept pretty clean, and the whole environment feels so safe! I'm not someone who camps, but I would enjoy camping here! read more

Refugio State Beach - Parks Near Me - Goleta, California

COST: $50 per night for a site. Plenty of room to park. Place was sold out, but didn't feel too crowded. Each campsite has a picnic table, fire pit, and..... RACCOON: If you leave a ton of food out like we did it will also come with a huge raccoon opening up your bag of cheerios with his itty-bitty hands and rummaging through making a big mess in the middle of the night. He ran off with the marshmallows when he saw me coming! What! NICE TOILET PAPER: When you glance around you see wall to wall RV's. Not quite the camping I grew up with, but it was convenient having restrooms nearby. No digging holes and squatting behind bushes. Weird thing to stand out, but they have nice quality toilet paper in the stalls. BATHE FAST: Showers available for quarters. 2 min per quarter. No dunking in a freezing river? Oh the luxury. Hot water immediately and good pressure. THE BEACH: It's just steps away! Water was surprisingly not that cold. Good locale for paddle boarding as I spotted the back of a huge whale not very far off. Go float out by the many kelp forests. Ominous and beautiful. Saw seals pop out of the surface. Man, I should've been a marine biologist. Sand is soft, but ugh...the damn flies. Everywhere! You can see the freeway. And now and then the train rolls through. Not too detracting. Seems to attract a quiet crowd at this campground. Say "Hi!" to Rita who's a volunteer here. Nice lady. Phone died so no pictures. Go see it for yourself. read more

Has always been one of our favorite camping places. It would be by far the best if they had hook-ups. We have been here about 5 times and had never had a bad experience. Sometimes there is tar on the beach which can get on your feet and is very annoying, but the beaches themselves are really cool. There's a nice trail connecting the campsites to El Capitan campground as well. It is kind of in the middle of nowhere with the nearest grocery store about 10+ minutes away, so you are very disconnected from everything. Overall, very good campground and we will definitely be coming back! :) read more

Somewhere between 2 and 3 stars. Went here recently with an awesome group of people so I think that tipped it from 2 to 3 stars. Pros: Lots of stuff to do - playground, basketball court, small hikes, bike trail (haven't actually gone on this for myself) beach picnic (only during low tide, when more sand is present), drive to Goleta or Santa Barbara, hot water showers and decently clean bathrooms (i.e., not truly "roughing it"), lots of fire pits and no fire restrictions Cons: Train and freeway traffic at night (and even during the day) can be deafening, the campground is packed and there are a zillion cars/trailers/tents/loud children everywhere, not particularly relaxing, beach is narrow and not conducive to laying out or swimming. read more

Best California beach to camp out. Couldn't ask for a better place to camp or just spend the day on the beach. The showers take quarters but I think it's worth paying to get hot water. Beach is clean and flat... I even got to see some dolphins while we were there, they came about 30 feet from the shore. If u want to camp on the beach then I highly recommend coming here! read more

Stayed here in Early May 2016 in a tent. Booked online and had to choose site without being there. Got site 58 and it was horrible for a tent. In fact this is not a good tent campground IMHO. There's a few that may be ok but mine was a gravel patch. I had heck of time getting stakes in. The ranger would not move me even though campground was not even half full. $51 for this crappy site. The other negs are the constant traffic on hwy 101. I was able to sleep ok with ear plugs. My site was near ocean so helped a bit. Its on the ocean and thats nice. Only reason it gets 2 stars. read more

Refugio State Beach - Parks Near Me - Goleta, California

Likely the worst experience I've ever had. The beach itself is gorgeous. Restrooms are fairly clean (for a campground) and there is a store for any you might need which is why this place gets 2 stars instead of the 0 that I would give if I could. The camps themselves are very close together without any kind of barrier (no trees or anything separating camps) which is great for people camping with multiple groups like the people in the 2 camps behind ours who got louder and louder as the night progressed. I had already fallen asleep around 10 (inside my van) and I was awaken by the sounds of one woman's witch-like laughter. (Not even kidding, she was cackling). I stayed up for a while after unable to sleep with their soundtrack of chatter. Once they all finally "went to bed" they were in and out of their RV's slamming doors shut and still making noise. Overall, the view of the beach is nice from the campground and it's really easy to get to but if you're looking for a bit more of a peaceful/private retreat, this place probably isn't for you. read more

Trash was never picked up. No dogs on beach. Squirrels and crows will steal your food. Grounds are neglected, foxtails everywhere.

Nice beach. Clean area. Lots of bathroom with flush which I really like !! Good camp area.

We had fantastic weekend here. Campsite is well maintained. + Bathrooms are fairly clean with toilet palmers inside, however no hand soap so bring your hand soap . Mirrors in bathroom which is rare for camp bathrooms and it's great advantage. Oh also there is coin showers which we never used. + Beach is gorgeous and swimmable, time we were there beach was very calm day time, good for kayaking, SUP and swim. + Campsites are spacious and bike friendly paths, sound of ocean waves are peaceful for sleeping. + Quiet camp weekend we had, neighbours friendly and almost no loud noice after 10pm, so campers respect the time curfew. + They sell firewood in campsite for $f you need more or forgot to bring. - One minus, the front entrance staff (the young guy we interacted) very unfriendly and careless with explaining things as we entered the campsite. This is our first time so of course we ask questions but he didn't like answering questions giving us very short explanation didn't make sense. We had lovely weekend and will come back again. read more

Refugio State Beach - Sunset view - Parks Near Me - Goleta, California

If you are looking for a place to build memories with your children this place is perfect. The campgrounds are safe for bike riding and playing. Theres a basketball court and a general store. The beaches are beautiful and perfect for going on a family walk. Your children will grow up someday and take their children here, it's the kind of place you always want to come back to read more